Time has passed rapidly over the last 2 weeks, I have spent most of my time trying very hard to build the foundations of my Australian life. First and foremost I have physically discovered my new home; Melbourne. Especially the first three or four days; I must have walked over 50 kilometres. I have explored CBD, block after block, looking up to the high-rise, getting lost in a 7 story train station and wandering around endless shopping malls.
CBD Seen from the South Bank
But the CBD has more to offer than the concrete jungle: there are the little alley ways & beautiful gardens, the street artists & the crowd, the Asian stores & the old churches, the abundant fast food franchises & the endless numbers of hipster espresso bars. CBD has it all. But CBD is only a tiny part of the city, the diversity of Melbourne is endless. The other neighbourhoods I explored and adored are Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood, St. Kilda, South Bank and more. The first three neighbourhoods streets are filled with contemporary art galleries, organic shops, hipster bars, and an accumulation of other ‘never seen before shops’. And, not to be forgotten, coffee roasters! The side streets connecting these neighbourhoods are artistically painted by both colourful colonial houses and funky street art.
Old school houses in Fitzroy
St. Kilda is the hood next to the beach and I have been told it has a large concentration of hippies, I certainly loved it when I was there for Friday night drinks. South bank offers a completely different picture; just across the Yarra river from CBD lies another set of high-rise buildings, among others the Aurora Tower, rising over 300 meters into the clouded skies. Part of the South bank is the South Wharf Promenade, a stunning boulevard along the river lined up with fine-dining restaurants and classy pubs. The point of full extase of this little stroll is reached at ‘Crowne’, the Southern Hemisphere's largest entertainment centre, including huge fireballs; yes, I went there, yes I lost playing poker.
South Bank's High-rise
On top of these places there is so much more to be seen, every neighbourhood has its charm and little shops and markets. Side note: Best market ever: Queen Victoria Markets. Melbourne’s ‘burbs’ also stretch very, VERY far. I never Imagined driving over an hour on the freeway and still being told that we are in the ‘Inner Suburbs’.
What stood out most so far to me where not specifically to places in the city, it were, and still are, the people. I have always thought The Netherlands was a truly multi-cultural place, but compared to Melbourne that image simply diminished. It is true that The Netherlands hosts over 180 (?) cultures, but in day to day life this cultures are being generalized or given little attention to, in my perspective that is. In Melbourne cultures don’t have to fit in, they are being enabled to stand out. Everybody is a foreigner here. Except for aboriginals, but that is an topic I hope to be able to address later.
An demonstration against forced closure of Aboriginal communities
Another crucial part of founding my Australian life is surrounding myself with friends; everybody craves belonging. I have been very fortunate to have met a Melburnian back in Europa who has warmly welcomed me in her family and circle of friends; for which I'm very grateful. And going out with fellow Dutch students has been great as well, discussing culture from your own culture's perspective never loses its charm. But the shift from being constantly surrounded by friends back home to living by myself with a Chinese family in a 10 sqm room has been rougher than I expected.
Melbourne central train station
Heartbreak plays a role in that as well. For a big part novelty has been able to cover up for this but now that things are starting to settle I will have to fill some holes. The gaping hole of heartbreak won’t be easy to cover up, and I neither expect that to happen nor am I actively looking to do so. But friends can be found all over the world, something I have gladly experienced many times before. In Costa Rica the kick starter for my circle of friends were both high school and Taekwondo, the latter had great benefits in my Costa Rican life. I am hoping it will do so again.
